Presenters discover Viking and medieval artefacts on bed of River Ouse in York while filming TV show River Hunters

Relics from Viking settlers in York have been discovered in the city's first ever archaeological search of the River Ouse.

Presenters of the TV show River Hunters have unearthed crockery and floor tiles underneath the surface of the river which are thought to date as far back as the late Medieval era, as well as a Viking Grindstone, which was used for sharpening tools.

The discoveries are made in episode two of the series on Sky History, which is presented by river detectorist Beau Ouimette, TV presenter and keen swimmer Rick Edwards and underwater archaeologist Gary Bankhead.

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Long known to be a settlement during the Viking period which was, at the time, the centre of Viking Britain and named Jorvik, York has been a popular location for excavations over the years, although the show airing next month will feature the first ever search of its waterways.

Relics from Viking settlers in York have been discovered in the city's first ever archaeological search of the River Ouse. Picture: Sky HistoryRelics from Viking settlers in York have been discovered in the city's first ever archaeological search of the River Ouse. Picture: Sky History
Relics from Viking settlers in York have been discovered in the city's first ever archaeological search of the River Ouse. Picture: Sky History

A team on the show delve through a thousand years’ worth of river debris to find evidence of Viking life in the ancient city, just a stone's throw from where other treasures from the period are kept on display at the currently-closed Jorvik Viking Centre.

Archaeologists on the show used state-of-the-art underwater technology, live drone footage and accounts from the period, to mine for history beneath the Ouse, often in dangerous and fast-flowing waters.

The presenters are also joined by local archaeologists, metal detectorists and historians.

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Also featured in the episode is a search of the River Derwent, following the route of the Norse army to Stamford Bridge which was the site of the last Viking showdown in Britain, which producers have said results in a find possibly dating back to the 11th Century.

The River Ouse in YorkThe River Ouse in York
The River Ouse in York

The River Hunters airs on Sky HISTORY with the second episode premiering on Monday 12th April at 9pm.

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